Michael Portillo set off from Staines station for filming of a new episode in his Great British Railway Journeys.

The ex-Conservative MP boarded a South West Trains (SWT) service towards Windsor last Friday (October 9) shortly after 7am.

SWT tweeted a photo of the former defence minister with staff member Siobhan Neligan, saying: "Michael Portillo about to embark on a 'Great British Railway Journey' at Staines this morning."

Portillo presents the BBC Two programme, now in its fourth series, where he explores how the railways have shaped the social, economic and political history of Britain, with the aid of George Bradshaw’s 1863 tourist handbook.